Disabled still struggle to attend church?

Physical barriers to church attendance are still a problem writes Dionne Walker in a story published by USA Today:

Years after federal law required accommodations for the disabled, separation of church and state means houses of worship remain largely beyond the law's reach. State laws and denominational measures meant to take up the slack are tricky to enforce and face resistance from churches who call them both costly and impractical.

The issue is gaining new attention as the disabled community expands, fed by aging baby boomers and a growing number of people with intellectual disabilities who are demanding a more prominent place in the pews.A Centers for Disease Control report released in April found that an estimated 1 in 5 U.S. adults _47.5 million people — reported a disability. The National Organization on Disability estimates less than half of disabled Americans attend services at least once a month compared to 57% without disabilities.

Read the rest here.

The Episcopal Disability Network suggests more than 50 ways to make your parish more accessible.

[H/T: Episcopal Cafe]